Benefits - Faculty

Working at WPI allows you to enjoy a wide range of benefits and exclusive opportunities, from medical and dental coverage and retirement savings plans to generous time off and tuition benefits. Diverse wellness programs encourage healthy living and provide support and assistance in times of need. Special retail and cultural discounts are offered as well. This convenient table makes it easy to review benefits and find more information. View or download our Benefits & Policies Manual...

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Benefits Summary

Benefits require an assignment duration of at least 9.0 months. Benefits vary based on full time equivalency (FTE)

A flexible spending account allows employees to create and contribute to an account through pre-tax payroll deductions for the purpose of paying qualified medical expenses such as insurance premiums, dental or optical expenses, and dependent care costs. Employees become eligible on the first of the month following their date of hire.

Under COBRA, age limits have been removed so that any active employee or spouse 65 or older may remain covered under WPI's group health plan unless he or she has specifically elected Medicare as primary coverage.

As long as it offers health insurance coverage to employees, WPI is required to offer continued group health insurance coverage to covered employees, former employees, spouses, and dependents who become ineligible for group coverage because of one of the following qualifying events.

Disability: Coverage is available for 29 months.

Retirement, termination of employment, or reduction of hours: Employee is given the opportunity to continue coverage for 18 months (entire premium cost is assumed by the employee).

Death of employee, eligibility for Medicare, divorce or legal separation, or dependent child ineligible due to age or loss of full-time student status: Coverage is available for 36 months (entire premium cost is assumed by employee or beneficiary).

The plan provides for 60% of the base monthly earnings not to exceed $10,000, which begins on the first of the month following 6 consecutive months of total disability and continues during such disability until age 65. If an employee’s total disability begins after age 60, the Long Term Disability Plan Summary outlines the maximum period of payment.

Supplemental life insurance up to 5 times the employee’s annual salary, to a maximum of $500,000, is available for spouses/domestic partners and dependent children. Spouses/domestic partners are eligible for up to half of what an employee purchases for coverage.

Long-term care is the type of care received at either a home or at a facility when assistance is needed with day-to-day activities. This is an individual and personalized benefit that is paid entirely by the employee.

After 1 year of service, employees are eligible for WPI’s retirement plan. Contributions to the retirement plan are calculated annually as follows: Employees must contribute 5% of their base salary and WPI will contribute 11% of their base salary.

* Waiting period will be waived for anyone with one year of continuous service as a non-student at a nonprofit educational organization or teaching hospital, or already participating in TIAA/CREF immediately prior to the start of employment at WPI. Must work 1000 hours for the calendar year and be in an includable category. For information on includable categories, contact Human Resources.

The Group Supplemental Retirement Annuity (GSRA) is an alternative tax-sheltered annuity for employees who want to set aside funds in addition to the amount being accumulated under WPI's retirement plan. Employees are eligible to participate on the first day of the month following their date of hire. The GSRA has a unique feature consisting of a loan provision, which allows access to tax-deferred annuity savings without current income taxation or penalty. For details and enrollment forms contact Human Resources.

Social Security (FICA)/Medicare (MQFE) is applicable to all employees. Employees and WPI contribute equal tax amounts on the statutory base earnings. Eligibility and benefit determinations are made by the Social Security Administration.

The Workers' Compensation Law of Massachusetts provides financial benefits for employees who have a work-related injury or illness. Medical expenses for injuries occurring on the job and a percentage of the employee’s salary for lost time are paid by this insurance.

In the event of a death in an employee's immediate family, a leave of up to 5 consecutive days with full pay may be taken to attend a funeral or handle other affairs in connection with the death.

"Immediate family" is defined as parents, stepparents, mothers/fathers-in-law, sisters, brothers, children, spouses, domestic partners or other members of the immediate household.

In the event of a death of a family member who is not an immediate family member, such as sisters/brothers-in-law, aunts, uncles, grandparents, grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephews, employees will be granted 1 day with full pay to attend a funeral or handle other affairs in connection with the death.

Leave with pay must be arranged with the employee’s supervisor or department head.

Full- and part-time employees are eligible for 11 scheduled paid holidays a year.

1. and 2. Two days during New Year's Holiday as designated by WPI.
3. Memorial Day
4. Independence Day
5. Labor Day
6. Thanksgiving
7. The day after Thanksgiving
8. and 9. Two days during December Holiday as designated by the University.
10. Martin Luther King Day
11. Patriots’ Day

* In order to be eligible for holiday pay, employees must be scheduled to work on that day.

Two personal holidays per fiscal year may also be taken, with supervisor approval, after 90 days of employment. These days may be used to observe state or religious holidays (e.g., Columbus Day or Veterans Day) when the university is functioning. Employees who begin employment at WPI after January 1 and prior to April 1 are entitled to only one personal holiday. The personal holidays used to observe state holidays will be forfeited if not taken within the fiscal year.

Full-time employees in the reserve branches of the Armed Forces or National Guard units required to attend two weeks of active training on an annual basis shall be granted military leave upon presentation of military orders to the Human Resources Office.

Full pay will continue, as usual, while serving reserve duty. Any payments for military training leave must be used to reimburse WPI for paid leave.

Failure to return to work at the end of the military leave (without an approved extension) shall be considered a resignation.

WPI offers full and part time employees (and their family members living in the immediate household) the convenience of paying auto and homeowner insurance premiums through payroll deduction. There are premium discounts for automobile insurance (off the regulated Massachusetts rates) and reduced homeowner insurance rates.

WPI has established a relationship with First Friends, an early care and educational center for infants, toddlers, and preschool children. First Friends provides a supportive, nurturing, and stimulating program that responds to the developmental needs of each child.

First Friends is conveniently located within walking distance of WPI in the First Baptist Church at the corner of Salisbury Street and Park Avenue.

More Details

For rates and more information, contact First Friends at +1-508-791-4884.

The WPI Sports & Recreation Center is available at no cost to current employees and retirees of WPI. A small membership fee is charged for spouses. For additional information regarding spousal membership, contact the Physical Education & Athletics Office.

A key resource of WPI is the experience and expertise of our long-serving staff members. WPI acknowledges these employees at 5-year intervals, beginning after the completion of 5 years of employment.

In each year that a long-service anniversary is celebrated after 15 years, an additional week is added to annual vacation accrual for that year. This anniversary vacation must be used within the fiscal year following the year in which the anniversary occurs.

Free parking in our new garage and other designated lots is available to all employees. Vehicles must be registered with the Campus Police Department (located on the lower level of Founders Hal), which will issue a WPI parking permit.

WPI provides financial assistance for the undergraduate university education of dependent children of employees (as defined by the IRS), and the undergraduate and graduate education of full-time employees and their spouses or domestic partners.

Tuition Exchange (TE) is a national scholarship-exchange program available to dependent children of full-time faculty and staff members at approximately 650 participating colleges and universities. Participating institutions have agreed to grant tuition scholarships to participants from other member institutions. All applicants must seek admission to the TE partner institution, which determines admission and procedures.

The Worcester Art Museum's Institutional Membership Program provides WPI staff and faculty members and students with free admission to the museum during regular hours. WPI ID is required for admission.